Ajee Wilson Shatters American Record In Women's 800m
Ajee Wilson Shatters American Record In Women's 800m
In a gutsy performance against the best middle distance runners in the world, Ajee Wilson shattered the American record in the women's 800m with a third-place finish in 1:55.61.
In a gutsy performance against the best middle distance runners in the world, Ajee Wilson shattered the American record in the women's 800m Friday at the Monaco Diamond League meeting in 1:55.61.
Wilson took advantage of a blistering pace to finish third at the prestigious event behind two-time Olympic champion Caster Semenya (1:55.27), and Olympic silver medalist Francine Niyonsaba (1:55.47), both of whom she challenged down the final straightaway.
The New Jersey native is the first American woman in history to break the 1:56 barrier. Her performance broke Jearl Miles Clark's 1:56.40 national record set in 1999. Along with Wilson, Semenya, Niyonsaba, and Melissa Bishop all set national records for their respective countries.
"U.S. record? Whoa! I hadn't seen the time yet!" Wilson told reporters after her breakthrough race. "It felt so good to be competitive again, it was great! [I'm] Now going home to Philadelphia to prepare for London."
The pack was led from the gun by Semenya who ran behind pace-maker Laura Roesler. After Roesler split 55.31 through 400m, the rest of the field came through the 400m split in 59.98 seconds where Semenya guided the top group of three (Niyonsaba and Wilson). The trio picked up the pace significantly through 600 meters with a split of 1:26.72 and Wilson made a move for the lead from the second lane.
Down the homestretch, the trio battled side-by-side for every step until the final critical moment when Semenya pulled away for the victory. She crossed the finish line in a South African national record of 1:55.27, breaking her old national record of 1:55.28 set at the 2016 Olympic Games. Niyonsaba improved on her own Burundi national record with a runner-up finish and Wilson executed a close third. Sifan Hassan closed for fourth overall in 1:56.81, and Bishop finished fifth in 1:57.01, a Canadian national record, to round out the top five spots.
Wilson's performance is the fastest mark run by an American woman since 2010 when Alysia Montano ran her personal best of 1:57.34, which also took place at the Monaco Diamond League meeting. Wilson improved upon her own lifetime best of 1:57.67 from the 2014 Monaco race.
Prior to Monaco, Wilson showed signs of a breakthrough on the horizon. At the USATF Outdoor Championships in June, Wilson made her fourth senior world championship team by throwing down a dominant victory in the 800m final. Wilson won the national championship in 1:57.78 by negative splitting. She ran 59.66 for the first 400m and 58.12 for the second half of the race. The USA championships marked Wilson's first race in four months.
Ajee ​Wilson reacts after winning her first USATF title in June:
In February, she broke the indoor American record in the 800m with a 1:58.27 Millrose Games victory, but her record was stripped when she tested positive for banned substance zeranol as a result of consuming tainted beef. After looking at her dietary habits and food purchase receipts, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency ruled that the positive test was likely the result of consuming the contaminated meat and only stripped her Millrose result.
After an emotionally taxing spring, Wilson has returned and now officially owns the outdoor American record.
Wilson took advantage of a blistering pace to finish third at the prestigious event behind two-time Olympic champion Caster Semenya (1:55.27), and Olympic silver medalist Francine Niyonsaba (1:55.47), both of whom she challenged down the final straightaway.
The New Jersey native is the first American woman in history to break the 1:56 barrier. Her performance broke Jearl Miles Clark's 1:56.40 national record set in 1999. Along with Wilson, Semenya, Niyonsaba, and Melissa Bishop all set national records for their respective countries.
"U.S. record? Whoa! I hadn't seen the time yet!" Wilson told reporters after her breakthrough race. "It felt so good to be competitive again, it was great! [I'm] Now going home to Philadelphia to prepare for London."
WHAT. JUST. HAPPENED.
— USATF (@usatf) July 21, 2017
AMERICAN RECORD FOR @AjeeW!!!!! 1:55.61!!!!!!!!!!!!
*faints* #MonacoDL
The pack was led from the gun by Semenya who ran behind pace-maker Laura Roesler. After Roesler split 55.31 through 400m, the rest of the field came through the 400m split in 59.98 seconds where Semenya guided the top group of three (Niyonsaba and Wilson). The trio picked up the pace significantly through 600 meters with a split of 1:26.72 and Wilson made a move for the lead from the second lane.
Down the homestretch, the trio battled side-by-side for every step until the final critical moment when Semenya pulled away for the victory. She crossed the finish line in a South African national record of 1:55.27, breaking her old national record of 1:55.28 set at the 2016 Olympic Games. Niyonsaba improved on her own Burundi national record with a runner-up finish and Wilson executed a close third. Sifan Hassan closed for fourth overall in 1:56.81, and Bishop finished fifth in 1:57.01, a Canadian national record, to round out the top five spots.
Wilson's performance is the fastest mark run by an American woman since 2010 when Alysia Montano ran her personal best of 1:57.34, which also took place at the Monaco Diamond League meeting. Wilson improved upon her own lifetime best of 1:57.67 from the 2014 Monaco race.
Prior to Monaco, Wilson showed signs of a breakthrough on the horizon. At the USATF Outdoor Championships in June, Wilson made her fourth senior world championship team by throwing down a dominant victory in the 800m final. Wilson won the national championship in 1:57.78 by negative splitting. She ran 59.66 for the first 400m and 58.12 for the second half of the race. The USA championships marked Wilson's first race in four months.
Ajee ​Wilson reacts after winning her first USATF title in June:
In February, she broke the indoor American record in the 800m with a 1:58.27 Millrose Games victory, but her record was stripped when she tested positive for banned substance zeranol as a result of consuming tainted beef. After looking at her dietary habits and food purchase receipts, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency ruled that the positive test was likely the result of consuming the contaminated meat and only stripped her Millrose result.
After an emotionally taxing spring, Wilson has returned and now officially owns the outdoor American record.